#Slayed Celebrity Halloween Costumes: Beyonce, Kylie Jenner, Heidi Klum, Kim Kardashian West, and More
Category: Entertainment
ESSENCE ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF NEW INITIATIVE TO INSPIRE FUTURE BLACK WOMEN LEADERS: “ESSENCE GIRLS UNITED”
ESSENCE, the leading media, technology, and commerce company serving Black women, debuts ESSENCE Girls United. This impactful new initiative is designed to inspire young Black women through a year-long mentorship program, as well as an interactive digital/social content hub that will convey the core principles of leadership and self-love.
ESSENCE Girls United demonstrates the iconic brand’s mission to serve its multigenerational audience globally as a 100% Black-owned company across its platforms through content, culture, and community—especially the millennials who comprise of 26% of its core. With its focus on mentoring young girls, this multi-platform program will feature year-round video, digital and social content that will focus on core pillars, including: “Owning Your Power,” “Presenting with Confidence,” “Developing Brand You,” “Finding Your Voice,” “Making a Difference In Your Community,” “Life Skills 101,” and “Self-Love.” The initiative will also feature workshops and conversations with thought leaders, a social network directory for girls to interact with each other, a mentorship program, a leadership development “toolkit,” events such as the upcoming ESSENCE Girls United Summit and much more.
“ESSENCE Girls United will allow us to even further demonstrate the brand’s commitment to inspire Black women by engaging this vital audience,” said Moana Luu, ESSENCE Chief Content and Chief Creative Officer. “With year-round content across all of our digital and social platforms, ESSENCE will be a great resource for our girls in the areas of leadership, confidence, and self-love.”
As part of the initiative, ESSENCE and Ulta Beauty will join forces to co-produce ESSENCE Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities. This exciting six-part web series will use digital and social content to create a deeper connection with young Black women. The web series will include a search to discover six young women who will then embark on a journey to discover their personal potential and elevate their entrepreneurial spirit all within the beauty industry. Each young woman will have a chance to participate in an opportunity of a lifetime, including helping to create a limited-time collection for Ulta Beauty; mentorship by ESSENCE and Ulta Beauty brand leaders and more. ESSENCE Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities is open nationally to girls ages 16-19.
For more on ESSENCE, Girls United visit ESSENCE.com/GirlsUnited, pick up the November issue of ESSENCE or join the conversation on social @Essence #ESSENCEGirlsUnited.
Dr. Mathew Knowles and Mrs. Gena Knowles Dressed By Designer Gert-Johan Coetzee: South African Fashion Week
A fortuitous meeting during the busy red-carpet season ahead of South African Fashion Week saw premier South African fashion designer Gert-Johan Coetzee create bespoke looks for Dr. Mathew Knowles and his wife Gena Knowles to wow the media at three separate events in a week.
The couple was in South Africa to promote Knowles’s new book The Emancipation of Slaves Through Music. The influential music mogul, who is also Beyoncé’s father, hosted the African Leaders 4 Change Awards in the capital city of Pretoria last Thursday and was a guest judge on the music talent show Idols, South Africa. In between, he also managed to address the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business and finally, attend the glamorous opening party for South African Fashion Week.
“My wife Gena and I will be wearing some surprise designs by Gert, one of your top designers here in South Africa,” Knowles said in an Instagram video (@gertjohancoetzee) before the SA Fashion Week red carpet on Monday. The couple had asked Coetzee for some African-inspired styles, and the designer pulled out all the stops, creating a matching suit and gown in shades of magenta, green and brown, with embellished leaf detail that grabbed media attention for all the right reasons. It was pure Afro-chic, the Gert-Johan Coetzee way.
Celebrity favorite Coetzee, who is known as South Africa’s designer to the stars, made his name dressing South Africa’s A-list, from Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel Peters to Minnie Dlamini and Bonang Matheba, over a ten-year career. He has also extended his reach into Africa, with celebrity clients such as Tiwa Savage and Toke Makinwa, and has dressed international megastars such as Grammy winner Fantasia, Kelly Rowland, and Kourtney Kardashian.
Coetzee is coincidentally launching his new men’s range this week at SA Fashion Week, alongside ready-to-wear womenswear and the red-carpet showstoppers that he is famous for. “Menswear requires a totally different focus, so it was great timing because we now have that infrastructure in place.” He dressed Knowles in a two-tone navy and French navy suit with matching Gert-Johan Coetzee shirt and bowtie for his hosting engagement. Gena Knowles sparkled in a form-fitting off-the-shoulder floor-length scarlet gown studded with Swarovski crystals and with a high slit. “As aspect that I love about my job is how a gown can accentuate the wearer’s best features, such as great legs or toned arms. I really enjoyed working with Gena to create a dress she felt great in,” said Coetzee.
For his guest-judge duties on Idols, South Africa on Sunday Knowles appeared on stage in another, moss-green Gert-Johan Coetzee suit with a casual open-neck shirt.
This might well be the start of a relationship full of potential, but Coetzee would not be drawn on details. “It was such an honor to be asked to dress the Knowleses, and we had a wonderful time getting to know them,” he said.
Coetzee’s new Autumn Winter 2019 collection will be showcased at SA Fashion Week on Thursday 25 October at 20:00, and fans can watch live updates on Instagram, @gertjohancoetzee.
2018 ESSENCE FESTIVAL® PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA ANNOUNCES RECORD-BREAKING $280 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT
Essence Communications, the leading media, technology, and commerce company serving Black women announced a record-breaking economic impact of $280 million for its 2018 ESSENCE Festival® presented by Coca-Cola. Growth in Festival attendance, which reached more than 510,000, and a boost in tourism spending within the host City and State of New Orleans, Louisiana, garnered the highest fiscal input in the event’s 24-year history. Nearing 130,000 attendees per day, the ESSENCE Festival is now also the nation’s largest entertainment and cultural event based on average daily attendance, leading events including Coachella, SXSW, New Orleans Jazz and Made in America festivals.
“As one of the world’s largest annual curated content experiences attracting an international audience of more than a half million people over the course of one weekend, the essence Festival packs a proven and powerful economic punch–and continues to reach new heights in collaboration with the State of Louisiana and City of New Orleans,” said Michelle Ebanks, CEO of Essence Communications. “Working together with our government and enterprise partners, we are pleased to report the highest-ever contribution to the growth and profitability of local businesses and services that help to create an unforgettable experience for our Festival community.”
With the 2018 summer Festival season wrapped, the 4-day Essence Festival has emerged as the leader in size and economic significance among the country’s largest live events and a top destination for tourism during Fourth of July weekend. Through attendee surveys and analysis based on event production, lodging, food & beverage, retail, gaming and transportation spend, the annual economic figure represents a substantial benefit to Louisiana and New Orleans seasonal tourism and shines a spotlight that furthers the legacy of one the nation’s most culturally rich and diverse destinations.
“This year’s Essence Festival was a great success in terms of attendance and national exposure for New Orleans and Louisiana. I believe many of the Essence Festival attendees will be returning to our state for years to come,” said Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.
“On behalf of the City of New Orleans, I am grateful for our continued partnership with the ESSENCE Festival and proud of the impact that’s been made,” said New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “This year’s Fest generated tremendous economic activity for the City — money that went to our large and small businesses and to the working men and women who make them run. We look forward to another historic year in 2019.”
In addition to the attendance and economic impact, the scale of talent, programming and digital engagement at the ESSENCE Festival is unmatched. A 2018 Essence Festival by-the-numbers analysis reveals further record-breaking engagement including 100+ performing artists; 200+ influencers, leaders, creators and celebrities; 150+ Marketplace entrepreneurs; and 200+ hours of live content throughout the weekend that generated 5 billion+ media and PR impressions and reached trending status on social media, featuring 103+ million posts, shares and likes and resulting in 14+ billion social media impressions.
“On the eve of the ESSENCE Festival’s 25th anniversary, scheduled for July 4-7, 2019, this summer’s extraordinary gathering underscores the convening power of culture, as well as the continued interest and engagement of Black women globally around community and content that empowers and inspires,” said Ebanks. “We were thrilled this year to be able to introduce new entrepreneurial and business experiences such as our ESSENCE E-Suites and our ESSENCE Marche e-commerce platform. But there’s so much more. As an almost five-decade-old startup, we are excited to move forward not only as a reimagined media and content company but also as a technology and commerce company using 21st-century platforms to provide even more effective solutions to our community of women. We are continually evolving to shape our work to meet their needs with increasing depth and relevance, and this is just the beginning.”
The 2018 ESSENCE Festival was executive produced by Essence Festivals LLC, a division of Essence Communications Inc. (ECI), and produced by Solomon Group. GeChar was the executive producer of the 2018 ESSENCE Empowerment Experience.
Sponsors of the 2018 ESSENCE Festival included presenting sponsor Coca-Cola and major sponsors AT&T, Ford, McDonald’s, State Farm and Walmart.
About Essence Communications Inc.
Essence Communications is the number one media, technology and commerce company dedicated to Black women and inspires a global audience of more than 17 million through diverse storytelling and immersive original content. With a multi-platform presence in publishing, experiential and online, ESSENCE encompasses its signature magazine; digital, video and social platforms; television specials; books; as well as live events, including Black Women in Music, Black Women in Hollywood, Street Style and the ESSENCE Festival. Essence Communications is owned by Essence Ventures, an independent African-American owned company focused on merging content, community, and commerce to meet the evolving cultural and lifestyle needs of people of color.
ESSENCE.COM EXCLUSIVE: KANDI BURRUSS DENIES PREGNANCY RUMORS
Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss is busy! After recently wrapping up filming scenes for the reality show–along with opening two new restaurant locations, developing a cosmetics line and more–the 42-year old songwriter and mother of two are trying to have another baby with husband Todd Tucker. But as she admits to ESSENCE, the road hasn’t been easy.
“We’re definitely trying to figure out ways to grow our family,” she revealed. “I know a lot of people thought that meant that I was pregnant. But I’m not pregnant. Let’s be clear. I saw that floating around the internet…”
“Unfortunately, it’s not happening…” she said of conceiving a baby. Burruss also shared that fans will see her struggle with fertility on the upcoming season of Real Housewives. “So obviously we’re just going to be talking about what that means for our family…”
For more on this ESSENCE.com exclusive, see below:
https://www.essence.com/celebrity/kandi-burruss-denies-pregnancy-rumors
KELIS TALKS FAME, SELF-CARE AND BEAUTY IN ESSENCE’S GLOBAL BEAUTY ISSUE
Since the moment she arrived on the scene, Kelis has done things her own way. A beauty chameleon and genre-bending musical talent, the singer has always been in a league of her own.
Now, she graces the cover of ESSENCE’s Global Beauty Issue where she gets candid about taking a break from the spotlight and working at her own pace. “One of the biggest things I reiterate is self-care,” the singer told ESSENCE.
Kelis talks fame and so much more in ESSENCE’s October Global Beauty Issue, on newsstands this Friday, September 21.
Photographer: Adrienne Raquel
#NYFW SS19 Celeb Spotting: La La Anthony, Nicki Minaj, and Kelly Rowland Attending Harper’s Bazaar ICONS Party
Nicki Minaj was seen during New York Fashion Week wearing a gown from designer Alexandre Vauthier.
The entertainer attended the Harper’s Bazaar “ICONS” party along with additional celebrities La La Anthony and Kelly Rowland.
Photo Images are from Instagram
ESSENCE CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCED ON THE HEELS OF THE ICONIC BASKETBALL PLAYER’S REVEAL OF HIS LATEST COLLABORATION WITH DESIGNERS FROM HARLEM FASHION ROW
ESSENCE, the leading media, technology, and commerce company serving Black women, today will launch The Strongest—a captivating new social media campaign highlighting sixteen Black women who exemplify strength to NBA star LeBron James. The announcement comes fresh off the heels of the sports icon’s exclusive reveal of his latest Nike signature shoe collaboration—designed by three African-American women—during Harlem Fashion Row’s (HFR) annual gala last night, where he was honored with the HFR Icon Award.
Featured Photo from Essence
In The Strongest, viewers will be moved by stunning images of these sixteen women who inspire us all through their various roles as activists, trendsetters, family, athletes, business leaders, journalists, content creators, and entertainers. The list of names includes James’ wife Savannah James; his mother Gloria James; tennis icon Serena Williams; Emmy-award winning writer/actress Lena Waithe; Olympian Simone Biles; TV commentator Cari Champion; Marketing Executive Bozoma Saint John; his Nike shoe collaborators, designers Fe Noel, Kimberly Goldson and Undra Celeste; and many more. In bringing these stories to life, James’ goal is to encourage a celebration focused on women of color from a place of positivity.
James, who is known for using his popular platform to empower those making a positive impact in their communities, felt it was important to bring in previously unheard voices as he embarked on this journey to reveal his definition of strength to the world. Showcasing everyone from celebrity to CEO, he enabled and empowered women of color to be a part of this movement in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
For more exclusive photos, footage and a full list of The Strongest, please visit ESSENCE.com and join the conversation @ESSENCE via Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
About Essence Communications Inc.
Essence Communications is the number one media company dedicated to Black women and inspires a global audience of more than 15 million through diverse storytelling and immersive original content. With a multi-platform presence in publishing, experiential and online, ESSENCE encompasses its signature magazine; digital, video and social platforms; television specials; books; as well as live events, including Black Women in Music, Black Women in Hollywood, Street Style and the ESSENCE Festival. Essence Communications is owned by Essence Ventures, an independent African-American owned company focused on merging content, community, and commerce to meet the evolving cultural and lifestyle needs of women of color.
THE LOOK: ALL STARS Gearing Up For The Second Season
DreamVenture Productions announces the successful run of the pilot season and return of the makeover TV series THE LOOK: ALL STARS for a second season. The one-hour reality series aired on CW, MyNetwork and TBD stations of SINCLAIR Broadcast Group and has received positive feedback from the industry and consumers at large. “We are extremely pleased and excited to continue our collaboration with THE LOOK: ALL-STARS as the initial results were extremely positive, showing ratings double from lead-in programs for select markets in the time slots assigned,” says Rida Khan, Head of Fashion, Lifestyle and Entertainment Programming, SBG.
The series successfully integrated augmented reality makeover try-ons in real time, so the audience watching at home could try on the looks and discover beauty products used on the show. More than 2 million try-ons for every episode were generated through the Perfect365 app from their 15 million users. This unique collaboration is a first of its kind for a national broadcast TV show.
The executive producers of the show are gearing up for filming, slated to commence this fall, with the support of the beauty and fashion industries. In addition to brands coming back for this season that include the biggest names in beauty, the show has expanded participation from top cosmetic brands with more added to the list daily. New companies coming next season include Amazing Cosmetics, Amore Pacific’s Mamonde, Kevin Aucoin Beauty, Makeup Geek and Iconic London launching in the US on THE LOOK: ALL STARS. The series utilizes national TV broadcast as a platform to reach, educate, empower and entertain millions of consumers who are avid beauty lovers exposing them to high-quality beauty products from large and small companies alike.
Two hairstyling icons from the TV series presented onstage to promote the show and ramp up excitement within the elite hairstyling community at the North American Hairstyling Awards 2018, the most prestigious photographic professional hairstyling awards, attended by over 4,000 stylists. As a result of a special collaboration, select NAHA 2018 applicants will be featured in the second season as part of the talented cast. The TV series also held auditions and met with members of the beauty industry at COSMOPROF NORTH AMERICA, the largest B2B exhibition for the cosmetics industry. “As the most important beauty exhibition platform in the US at the moment, Cosmoprof North America always seeks to bring resources that can help build the business of indie companies in attendance. The TV series provides great national visibility for brands trying to connect with consumers in a different way,” stated Daniela Ciocan, marketing director and the brains behind Cosmoprof’s phenomenal growth in the last 12 years.
Beauty legends, fashion icons, recognizable names from entertainment, and top social media influencers will be featured on the show as judges and special guests. Daniela Pestova, cover girl, and TV personality will be coming in as a permanent judge in the next season. Larissa Love sought after hair colorist, Jennifer Goldstein beauty editor Marie Claire Magazine, Kirbie Johnson host/producer PopSugar, Emily Dougherty beauty director NewBeauty magazine and many more will be featured as guest judges. Integrating big names from social media, THE SOCIAL CORNER segment of the show will bring new faces such as Marlena Stell, Tiffany Stanley, Tokyo Stylez and Anthony Cuts.
For general information on the TV series, or to view episodes from the pilot season, visit thelookallstars.com.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (SBGI)
Sinclair is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country and a leading local news provider. Sinclair’s content is delivered via multiple platforms, including over-the-air, multi-channel video program distributors, and digital platforms. http://www.sbgi.net/.
